If you haven't had a chance to visit the South Collin County ReStore- now's a great time to do it. There are 5 days left in their birthday blow out sale and almost everything (with just a few exceptions) is 1/2 off and the stock changes daily. I know I can never leave there without something in my car.  Lighting, furniture, home decor, you name it they've got something and the staff are so friendly and helpful.  Not only will you be getting a great deal but helping a great cause, Habitat for Humanity. Here's the e-newsletter I got this week with some of the deals: At Least 50% OFF (original price) EVERY Item in the ReStore (except Paint Supplies still at introductory pricing) Saturday 4/12 10am ENDS Sunday 4/20 at 5pm   Help Celebrate our 1st Birthday with a Blow-Out salePictures-Paint-... 04/16/2008

When selling a house it's important to look at every room of your house through a buyer's eyes as they would see it upon previewing.  Want a simple way to see it from their perspective? Take a photo of it and see for yourself. It isn't always what you expect. This is a small laundry room below but obviously functional.  While living in a home we all know how our laundry rooms can get, especially if the chores get backed up. When selling however, we need to make a big effort to keep every room of the house as neat as possible for showing, including the laundry room. Basically no one wants to be reminded of chores associated with owning and living in a house while home shopping. Especially they don't want to see YOUR dirty laundry or smell it for that matter.Simple changes and corrections... 04/14/2008

It's still not too "latte" to enroll according to the Collin College Schedule of Continuing Education course offerings for January - April 2008.  There is still time to enroll for the April 21st -May 12th  Home Staging CE course. Time: 6:30 - 8:30 PM Days: MondaysLocation: Court Yard Center at Preston & Park CampusHome Staging is a course that is;  "Designed for the home owner or the professional real estate agent to prepare a home for resale. Learn the benefits of home staging and how staging a property for resale can help you achieve a faster sales time and top dollar".Collin County Professional Home Stager, Karen Otto shares her expertise and knowledge of Home Staging bringing it to home sellers, Realtors and Investors who want to know how Home Staging can help them achieve a faster ... 04/14/2008

Plano, Texas is hosting their "Live Green in Plano" Expo this weekend, April 12, at the Plano Centre from 9am - 5pm.  The Live Green in Plano Expo is a FREE, fun, family event that will help North Texans make informed decisions and take action to lead more healthy lives with less impact on our environment.  I attended this event last year and I had a great time.  I got to see the latest in green building items, green cleaning products and I even got to operate a trash truck!     This event will be even bigger and better than last year with 125 exhibitors.  Keynote speakers include, Chris Miles, Eric Larsen, Howard Garrett(The Dirt Doctor) and Kimyla Guice Stegall.  Topics of interest include building green, driving green, breathing clean and keeping your budget lean.  The expo will also... 04/09/2008

Pets. We love them if we own them, they're our babies and a part of the family. However when selling, they become a different story when others will be entering and previewing your property. First and foremost, for the safety of your beloved pets, consideration must be given to how they will be kept safe while showing. Potential problems could arise if: An exterior door is left open for possible escape A usually friendly animal is frightened by strangers entering his "territory" and aggressive behavior ensues (I learned this first hand when I acquired a small Quaker Parrot. Oatie cannot be left out when visitors come because he flies at them unexpectedly) Loud barking, growling or even birds squawking creates an unsettling mood for showing the house. In some cases, barking dogs have pre... 04/09/2008

DFWHousingFacts.org is a new website that highlights the positive features of the Dallas Ft. Worth Real Estate market.  For those not in DFW, there is many national stats and content on the site that is applicable to your market.One suggestion is to design a site similar to this to promote your Real Estate market.  One of the biggest problems is the tendency for the national media to proclaim the whole real estate market as having problems; when in fact there are many markets that are holding their own or growing.To view this site and other helpful sites, click here.  04/01/2008

Front left to right: Jackson Lewis, Samantha Sterling, Samantha Ashby, Claire Smith and Zach Elms                              (Tech Director)Back left to right: Lila Flores, Mia Hailemeskel, Rachel Chesnut, Karsten Otto, Dustin Tsai, Lindsey Kite,                                Matthew Jones, Lisa Hale (Director), Thomas Stimpson, Monica Ruiz, Jeffrey Moffitt Plano East Theatre Captures 5th Consecutive District Title On Friday, March 28 Plano East Sr. High won the District 9 5A UIL One Act Play Championship for the fifth year in a row with their production of the French comedy, THE DISPUTE, by Marivaux. Senior, Lila Flores, was named Best Actress.  Juniors, Jeffery Moffitt and Karsten Otto were named to the District All Star Cast, while Senior, Dustin Tsai received an Honorable Mention... 03/31/2008

Plano East Senior High School Theatre Department Presents - The Dispute, by MarivauxThe talented Plano East Senior High Students, under the direction of Ms. Lisa Hale, perform the One Act Play,  FREE to the PublicWhen: Thursday, March 27th, 2008Where: Plano East Senior High School Auditorium3000 Los Rios BlvdPlano, TX 75074(469) 752-9000Get directionsDoors Open: 6:30 PM Show Starts: 7:00 PMBring the family and come support the Plano East Theatre Arts with a FREE night out and enjoy a really great show!Blog Update:PLANO EAST WINS UIL Locally 3/28/08  head into next phase of competition!   03/18/2008

Sellers, do you want to know what is one of the most valuable things you have in terms of the successful sale of your home and it's FREE? I'll give you some hints:It's a something we never seem to have enough of It's gone before you know itSometimes it seems to stand still It flies too fast when you're having funIf only we could buy moreWhere does it go?Have you figured it out yet? The clock is ticking......  Well some may argue that time is money and you would be correct especially when selling a home, one of the most valuable things you have in your corner is time to prepare your house prior to listing.  But TIME is FREE. It's how you carve it out and make it a priority when selling your house that you'll see big rewards with your time investment.Now I know not all sellers have this l... 03/17/2008

History of West Plano   Two centuries ago, West Plano was a sea of blackland prairie—some of the most fertile soil on Earth—as far as the eye could see. Large herds of buffalo and nomadic bands of Native Americans visited the region. It was not until the early 1840s that the first pioneers came to the area, drawn by free land grants from the Peters Colony. Plano became incorporated in 1873, but commercial development remained primarily in what is now the eastern portion of the city. The completion of North Central Expressway in 1958 and Dallas’ ever-northward expansion led to Plano’s growth, but in 1960 its population numbered only 3,695 and there were still working farms and cattle ranches within city limits. Residential development boomed when many large corporations settled in the Pl... 03/08/2008

Pioneering women North Texas History Center exhibit recognizes that one thing hasn't changed much ... a woman's work is never done Running the vacuum and loading the dishwasher are chores few of us like, but it's a far better gig than our pioneering sisters endured. They worked their fingers to the bone sewing and hand washing their families' clothes, cooking, cleaning, gardening, canning ... no wonder women in turn-of-the-century photos are rarely smiling. Sarah Hatcher, Curator of Education for the North Texas History Center in McKinney, has great insight into these pioneering souls. Families from the east - primarily Kentucky, Tennessee and a few families from the Carolinas - trekked to North Texas to make a living. Land here was fertile, plentiful and cheap, even free in some cases.... 03/05/2008

Details Features Photos Schools/City Data Map Calculators Print Open House Sunday March 9 1:00 - 4:00PM Unbelieveable Price 399,000 Plano, TX Kings Ridge Home for Sale - Stunning SotheOPrby's Home with Upgrades Galore 7020 Redstone LanePlano, TX  75024 MLS - 10930600 List Price: $399000 Property Features: Gourmet kitchen with Granite Counters Stainless Steel Appliances Hand scraped hard wood floors Stone fireplace in family room Fireplace in Study Upstairs bar with Granite counters Large Game room and Media room Upstairs covered balcony Extensive stone work Pool sized yard on Premium lot 3 Bedroom 2.5 Bathrooms 2 Car Garage Best Floor Plan in Kings Ridge/ Sotherby's 3586 SQF Better then new built in 2006 Professionally Staged by the M2 Design Group, 817-658-1097 The Michael GroupTony M... 03/04/2008

Just a moment of encouragement, and a little laughter!FAMOUS QUOTES FROM: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jpaulgett100752.html "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Thomas A. Edison "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."Thomas A. Edison "There is a vast world of work out there in this country, where at least 111 million people are employed in this country alone - many of whom are bored out of their minds. All day long." Richard Nelson Bolles " Going to work for a large company is like getting on a train. Are you going sixty miles an hour or is the train going sixty miles an hour and you're just sitting still?" J. Paul Getty"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeve... 03/04/2008

GOOD DAY HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE, I wanted to take the time today to let you know that all your hard work is appreciated!  KEEP Those Success stories coming in..so others can learn from you.. I Know I need them!ON ANOTHER NOTE! I just wanted to let you know that I just launched "  50 Ads Per Day" a business tool to generate direct responses from potential leads throughout the world wide web.Where 50 ads are generated everyday for one week for $1.00 per ad in your designated location on the major internet websites, Youtube, Craigslist, Technorati Blog, Dallas Backpage, Facebooks and more.I am offering free advertising on my website so give me a call 801-757-5726 with your url and I will place you on my website! ThanksGod Bless            02/26/2008

Plano ISD has adopted the 2008-2009 school calendar:  http://www.pisd.edu/common/calendar/calendar.glance.0809.shtml.  The calendar provides for the end of the fall semester and final exams prior to the winter break. As the parent of a high school freshman, this a welcomed change. This year finals were given after the winter break. I am sure there are lots of students, and probably teachers for that matter, that will be enjoying their holiday next year. 02/18/2008

I almost didn't want to post this because I know not all professional home stagers have access to a Habitat for Humanity ReStore.  But....If you do have a ReStore location near you, I highly recommend you go and check it out and get on their mailing list (if the store has one).  If you need inventory for your home staging purposes this is often a great resource to find some great deals.I just received a newsletter this past week for my South Collin County ReStore in Plano, TX and featured this month was model home furniture from an area builder along with an offer for an additional 25% Off your entire purchase this week! Well, I was making my "thrift store rounds" this AM and running things to my storage unit and I saved my South Collin County ReStore,  visit for last with an empty trun... 02/12/2008

I just wanted to thank my friend and trusted business partner, John McConnell for sharing his time and talent tonight in the Collin College CE Course on Home Staging. John voluntarily presented a wonderful Power Point presentation, answered questions and gave some great tips on how to take better Real Estate photography for your MLS listings and marketing materials.  John will also be featured this month on Channel 8 News here in Dallas, TX for a special marketing promotional item he designed for a local Realtor who specializes in certain properties. For now it's top secret but more to come later, and I wish it was mine!It is so important these days to have great quality photos on line because today's buyer starts to shop from the comfort of their home. Check out this ezine article on T... 02/11/2008

More great deals to be had at the South Collin County Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I just got this new flyer and read below to see some of the great deals they're having. Not only are you getting great deals here but you're helping a worthy cause, Habitat for Humanity. Share this information with anyone you know who may be interested. There is so much more at the ReStore! Happy Shopping!   Buesher Homes just donated MORE FURNITURE &  Decor from their model homes. Fantastic merchandise in excellent condition, will not last long.Buesher Homes & Neiman Marcus sent over a few rugs..we have lots of RUGSHabitat ReStore Regular...THANK YOU...      Shop, buy, donate and volunteer at the ReStore to help us build more houses in the area for deserving families."Habitat for Humanity is a community... 02/11/2008

t's not too "latte" to enroll according to the Collin College Schedule of Continuing Education course offerings for January - April 2008. Although the February class is now underway there is still time to enroll for the April/May Home Staging CE course.Proudly announcing Home Staging a new CE Course offering at Collin College. Home Staging is a course that is;  "Designed for the home owner or the professional real estate agent to prepare a home for resale. Learn the benefits of home staging and how staging a property for resale can help you achieve a faster sales time and top dollar".Collin County Professional Home Stager, Karen Otto shares her expertise and knowledge of Home Staging bringing it to home sellers, Realtors and Investors who want to know how Home Staging can help them achi... 02/06/2008

Before and After Home Staging Photos of a Gorgeous Home in Plano, Texas Home Staging Transformation, now this Plano, Tx home has all the Old World Charm on the inside as on the outsideThe curb appeal of this Tuscan inspired home with Old Worlds charm was lost once you entered the front doors. The hand scraped wood floors were drowned with heavy rugs and the flow of the space was stopped with the distraction of overly bright artwork.What was once a drab interior dining room became a gorgeous space to have a dinner party.The kitchen was cluttered, once staged it showcased ample granite counter space, stainless steel appliances, and beautiful cabinetry.The Master suite was anything but sweet; mismatched bedding and lack of furniture made this a less-than appealing retreat. Once new bedding... 02/04/2008